Status: 05/15/2023 09:14 a.m
Lonely beaches, bustling seaside resorts and cities with World Heritage status: Those who cycle along the German Baltic Sea coast experience the north in all its diversity.
The German section of the Baltic Coast Cycle Route stretches almost 1,100 kilometers from Flensburg through Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to the Polish border on Usedom. The route is almost entirely marked with a blue logo. However, the quality of the signage varies greatly, a good bike map or a navigation app is helpful in order not to stray from the route.
Hardly any gradients, but sometimes a lot of wind
The path does not always lead directly along the water, but also sometimes through the forest – like here on Usedom.
Despite its length, the Baltic Coast Cycle Path is one of the leisurely tours. Even the highest elevations – with one exception on Rügen – remain below the 50 meter mark. Mostly it goes through gentle hills or flat along the water. However, because of the sometimes strong winds on the coast, it can sometimes be exhausting. For day tours, it is therefore advisable to pay attention to the announced direction and strength of the wind. A stable touring bike or mountain bike is recommended as numerous sections are on non-asphalted paths or very sandy. In any case, very few cyclists will tackle the entire route. Those who plan cleverly can drive individual sections and return to the starting point by train.
From Flensburg to Kiel (170 km)
Individual stages of the Baltic Sea Cycle Path are also suitable for leisurely day trips, for example along the Schlei.
The cycle path starts directly at the German-Danish border near Harrislee and a little later reaches the pretty town of Flensburg. It goes past Glücksburg, partly with a view of the Flensburg Fjord in the direction of the Holnis peninsula. Then the cycle path turns to the southeast and runs along many campsites to Kappeln, where a bridge leads over the Schlei. On the way, a detour to the Geltinger Birk nature reserve with wild horses, rustic cattle and many birds is worthwhile. In the further course it is mainly on small roads through the hinterland via Damp to Eckernförde. The route then leads through the quiet stretch of land on the Schwedeneck between Eckernförde Bay and Kieler Förde to the center of Kiel.
Depending on personal fitness and mood, the section from Flensburg to Kiel can be completed in two to three daily stages.
From Kiel to Travemünde (260 km)
After starting in Kiel, cyclists leave the Bay of Kiel directly on the water, with a beautiful view of the ships and the opposite bank. Between Laboe and Schönberger Strand you follow the dike in the direction of Fehmarn. The hilly Holstein Switzerland in the hinterland is bypassed, but is a small detour for sporty cyclists. The signposted route leads to Heiligenhafen with the upstream Graswarder nature reserve. Now cyclists have to consider whether they want to circumnavigate the island of Fehmarn – on many unpaved paths – or turn south to Lübeck Bay.
From Dahme, the route runs via Grömitz, Neustadt in Holstein and Scharbeutz to Timmendorfer Strand, again mainly within sight of the Baltic Sea. Along the Brodten steep bank it is now only a few kilometers to the stage destination Travemünde. There the official route of the Baltic Coast Cycle Path turns east over the Priwall. The World Heritage city of Lübeck is not on the route, but it is definitely worth a detour.
Sporty cyclists and e-bikers can cover the route from Kiel to Travemünde in three stages, if you want to travel without an auxiliary motor or rather more comfortably, you should plan four or five days.
From Travemünde to Warnemünde (140 km)
In Warnemünde, cyclists can get very close to the big ferries.
The route previously ran in a north-south direction, but is now changing to a west-east course in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. On the mostly lonely beaches of the Klützer Winkel it goes to Boltenhagen, the first known Baltic Sea resort in the state. There it is worth making a detour inland to Bothmer Castle near Klütz. From Boltenhagen it is a further 30 kilometers to Wismar with its attractive old town, which is also a World Heritage Site. On the way to the Baltic Sea resort of Rerik with a pretty fishing port, the offshore island of Poel invites you to make another detour. If you don’t do this, you will soon reach Kuehlungsborn and come back directly to the coast. Between the Baltic Sea resort and Warnemünde, the route runs partly on the cliffs and offers a beautiful view over the Baltic Sea.
The route from Travemünde to Warnemünde should be divided into at least two or three daily stages so that there is still time for sightseeing or trips to the beach.
From Warnemünde to Rügen (325 km)
On Rügen, the path invites you to numerous beautiful detours, for example along the coast of the Ummanz peninsula.
In Warnemünde, you can take a trip to the city center of Rostock, which is a good ten kilometers south of the coast. The Baltic Coast Cycle Path itself runs further along the sea and cyclists cross the Warnow with a ferry. Via the Baltic Sea resort of Graal-Müritz it goes to the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula with the well-known artist town of Ahrenshoop. There the route temporarily changes from the sea to the Bodden side and then leaves the peninsula again via a bridge. Along the southern Barther Bodden you will reach the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, which, together with Wismar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A ferry takes the cyclists to Glewitz on Rügen, the largest German island.
The round on Rügen alone, which leads to Cape Arkona in the extreme north, is 200 kilometers long and can therefore hardly be completed in one day. In return, visitors get to know the scenic diversity of the island with the Jasmund National Park, cliffs and fashionable bathing resorts.
If you want to take the time to do this, you should plan at least five days for the entire stage including Rügen.
From Rügen to Usedom (110 km)
The German part of the cycle path ends east of the seaside resort of Ahlbeck on Usedom. If you like, continue cycling in Poland.
A short ferry ride brings cyclists from Rügen back to Stahlbrode on the mainland. A little off the coast, the cycle path leads to the Hanseatic and university town of Greifswald. Then it goes on a quiet stretch of coast along the Pomeranian Bay via Lubmin to Wolgast. The route reaches the island of Usedom via the castle island and a bascule bridge. At the seaside resort of Trassenheide, it meets the Baltic Sea coast again and now leads almost completely along the sea. The Baltic Sea resorts of Bansin, Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck are lined up there. East of Ahlbeck, the German part of the Baltic Coast Cycle Route ends at the Polish border. The stage from Rügen to Usedom can easily be completed in two days.
Tour packages include transportation and service
If you are traveling longer on the Baltic Sea Cycle Path and do not want to take care of accommodation along the route yourself, you can book a tour package. Advantage: The organizers also take care of the luggage transport, so a small bike bag is sufficient for the individual day tours. Bicycles can also be booked.
More information is available on the website of Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and the Association Ostsee-Holstein-Tourism. The tour along the Baltic Sea can be done on the Continue EuroVelo route 10, a European long-distance cycle route that, among other things, leads along the Polish coast.
Map: Baltic Coast Cycle Route at a glance
More bike rides
